We’ve all been there – out shopping with kids, who are at the end of their meagre reserves of patience, only to discover at the checkout that we’ve left our bank card at home. This Brisbane mum had her three-month-old, and paraplegic daughter in tow, when she was faced with this parenting nightmare – and she crumbled. But what happened next is truly heartwarming.

Mum of four Toni Saul was doing her shop this morning at Coles Forest Lake in Queensland, when she realised at the counter she’d forgotten her card. But her luck wasn’t completely shot, as she had the fortune to be served by Chantal, a woman she describes as ‘amazing’. Chantal put the groceries through while Toni raced home to fetch her card. And it was then that the wheels fell off.

“By the time I came back I was overly emotional, had a hungry screaming baby and the five year old was over it… I broke at that moment… Tears flowed… But this wonderful lady gave me hope. She told me it was ok and I was doing a great job and not to stress. She put pieces of me back together and gave me the strength to continue my day when I was ready to give up,” Toni explains in a Facebook post to Coles.

Coles forest lake QLD, Today I had the worst morning in history!! I had my 3 month old and 5 year old paraplegic…

Toni says after she finished paying, Chantal asked if the frazzled mum needed anything else, and then gave her a bunch of flowers (pictured below) and hug in the carpark. Naww!

Toni tells Babyology, “I think just that sometimes all of us mums feel like it’s all too much and to be told by a fellow mum/stranger that you’re doing a great job and keep it up can really lift you up from very low”. We completely agree, and take our hats off to this amazing woman.